Plage

Literature

Maurice Brianchon was born at Fresnay-sur-Sarthe in January, 1899. He first studied in Bordeaux at the École des Beaux-Arts under Paul Quinsac, a sculptor; in 1917 he moved to Paris and entered the École des Beaux Arts Decoratifs where he trained under Eugène Morand. He first exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in 1920 and by 1922 was a committee member of the same Salon. In 1924 he won the Prix Blumenthal and a travel scholarship that he used to tour Spain.

In 1934 Brianchon achieved national recognition by representing France in the Venice Biennale along with Manet and it was a tremendous honor. The following year he married Marguerite Louppe, also an artist.  Brianchon’s first solo show was at the Galerie Le Portique in Paris, and he went on to exhibit with Wildenstein both in London and Paris, and at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Neuchâtel, Switzerland.  Brianchon was not tied to Europe however, and his paintings were shown regularly in America and once at an exhibition in Rio de Janeiro.

He was an highly regarded member of the Peintres de la Réalité Poétique group, and exhibited with them in 1956. Brianchon’s primary influences included Matisse, Vuillard and Bonnard, as well as older masters, notably Manet. His paintings can be found in many public collections, including the Musée d’ArtModerne in Paris.

Maurice Brianchon’s early work is characterized by dynamic images of equestrian scenes, theatre stages, and street scenes painted by the young artist enamored with City life, while his later work transitioned into the relaxed, contemplative landscapes and still lives of a mature artist savoring his elder years in the country. He was the subject of a major retrospective at the Louvre in 1951 and the following year, was selected as one of the official artists of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  Two years later, our painting was created when the artist had returned to a theme of members of High society and their pursuits, in keeping with his earlier work as both set designer and artist.